He was taken into custody where he registered 71 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, just over double the legal limit of 35mg.

The court heard Gore had believed he was under the limit and safe to drive when he got behind the wheel of the car.

Defending, Martin Jones said Gore had already paid a heavy price for his lapse in judgement and had been unable to start what he described as a “dream job”.

Mr Jones said: “He has never been in trouble with the police and for the life of him cannot understand why he acted so irresponsibly and stupidly.

“He had had a drink and thought it was safe to drive home. Clearly he had miscalculated and made the gravest of errors.

“He had been due to start what he described as a dream job, with all sorts of benefits including a company car, but has now secured alternative employment in a sports shop.

“He accepts he has done wrong and was full of praise for the way the police treated him.

“He was fully co-operative and I can only ask for the shortest ban which your public duty permits.”

Gore was banned from driving for 20 months but agreed to take a rehabilitation course which will reduce his time off the road if he completes it successfully. He was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £30 victim’s surcharge.